I Became The Necromancer Of The Academy - Chapter 213 - The King's Determination

There was a place I had to stop by, so it took me some time to arrive at Graypond.

Nevertheless, I managed to get there the night before the Great Debate started, so there were no major issues.

And when I was close enough, I deliberately got off the carriage and walked alone towards Graypond.

I was already aware that Mul and his followers had made quite the exaggerated entrance into Graypond.

There was clearly an intention to create a contrasting atmosphere. However…

“…”

I never thought that Erica and the Bright Household, as well as the Zeronia Household, would go to such lengths for me.

In order to find me, I heard that she requested support from each family I established a cooperative relationship with.

When I saw Erica standing confidently at the end of the road, she looked truly impressive.

With her arms crossed, she had a determined look to not let anyone defile the path I was walking on.

Even when I met her gaze, she greeted me silently without a change in expression.

As I entered Graypond, I was quickly surrounded by the sighs and cries of vengeful spirits echoing through the quiet night.

Before closing the castle gates and returning inside, the soldiers cleared a path for Erica and me before returning inside.

Erica then stared at me blankly.

Tap.

In an instant, her outstretched hand touched my cheek. Perhaps because she felt how bony and rough my cheek was, which wasn’t a pleasant sensation to feel, she hastily withdrew her hand in surprise.

“What was that for?”

Startled by the unexpected touch, I asked her before I even realized it. Erica scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed.

“No, I’m just finding it hard to believe that you’ve really come back…”

She looked quite worn out, like she had suffered a lot mentally over the past month. It was hard to believe that just moments ago, she had been a mage who overwhelmed the crowd with a silence spell.

“I have many questions about where you’ve been and why you left without a single word, but let’s go to the palace for now. His Majesty is waiting for you.”

“Okay.”

With an escort of soldiers from the Zeronia Household and the Bright Household, Erica and I headed straight for the royal palace.

Although it was already late evening, it wasn’t too deep into the night that there were still citizens outside; there were some murmurs from the people around me.

“E-excuse me! Soul Whisperer!”

Among the gradually gathering crowd, a woman ran towards me.

The soldiers tried to stop her, but I intervened. She was a woman I had met before.

Once I approached her, she handed me a hefty purse from her pocket.

“D-do you remember me?”

“Yes, I helped you when you were troubled by a ghost who was begging around you.”

Back then, just before the first Great Debate was about to be held, I lived in Graypond for a while and even resolved several evil spirit incidents.

“Back then, I didn’t understand how things went, so I didn’t give you anything in return. But here is compensation for that service. If you feel reluctant to accept it, you can think of it as a donation instead.”

As I glanced at the purse she handed me, I shook my head cautiously and pushed it back to her.

“I did not do it for money.”

At that time, she tried requesting help from the bishops, but they only took donations and passed over her case. Then, I came forward and helped the woman who was in tears because she had no money.

“B-but, Soul Whisperer. Mul is a man who is performing many miracles and has received plenty of donations. If you could use my money to prove your innocence and sincerity, it would be an honor…!”

I was thankful for the many considerations she had given me, but I was firm with my words.

“I did not do it for money.”

“…”

“However, if you truly want to help me…”

I slowly pointed towards the direction of the public cemetery in Graypond.

“If you go there, you will find the boy’s grave. On his headstone is a single word, his name, Mel. It will not be hard to find.”

“A-a grave? But that boy was a beggar who used to beg for food. There’s no way he would have a grave.”

“I made one for him.”

“…”

“A lot of time has passed, so if your heart is ready, I hope you can buy some food and visit the boy. Even though he was an evil spirit, the child did not become one out of choice, but due to dying from hunger.”

Due to extreme hunger, the boy closed his eyes in the cold night in an alleyway.

Even after death, he simply followed the same actions he had done in life, wandering the streets and begging for money and food.

“U-understood.”

The woman looked down at her purse with a complicated expression.

And just like that, I was about to pass by the woman.

“Soul Whisperer! Thank you for driving away the haunting spirit last time, my shop is now flourishing!”

“I no longer have nightmares! Thank you!”

“I’m Macken. Do you remember me? Would my daughter, who passed away first, be proud of me if she saw me now?”

The citizens of Graypond, whom I had helped before, came out to greet me.

I knew that my schedule was tight. However, I didn’t want to ignore the gratitude they were showing me.

It wasn’t that I was becoming arrogant or haughty from their appreciation and acknowledgement.

It was simply because I was grateful to them that despite my small actions to make their lives comfortable, and no matter how many followers Mul had or how great his miracles were, they hadn’t forgotten me.

Although this would take a bit of time, and I would be making the king wait, this much should be acceptable, right?

After all, I was favored by the king.

“You’re so amazing.”

Erica, who had been listening to the stories as she was beside me, had a faint smile on her lips.

“What is so amusing?”

There wasn’t anything particularly amusing for Erica here. On the contrary, she should have been anxious since there were unnecessary delays, keeping His Majesty waiting.

However, she moved closer to me and answered softly.

“Who wouldn’t be happy to see their fiancé being praised?”

“…”

“And it’s a relief to see that there are people who remember what you’ve done.”

As if feeling good just from that, her expression softened and she blushed shyly.

It made me feel a warm emotion, seeing the cold-hearted mage who had been commanding soldiers just a moment ago flutter in front of me like this.

“Let us go now. His Majesty might fall asleep.”

“Alright, after all, he leads a disciplined lifestyle.”

Inside the palace, there were two carriages already waiting.

They were the carriages provided by the academy and the Verdi Household.

Since I had walked through the main gate, there was no need to bring the carriages through the crowded area anymore.

They entered Graypond through the back gate and were stationed at the royal palace.

“Oh, you’re here!”

“Professor, you were amazing!”

Findenai and Aria, who had been waiting, were smiling brightly. Darius was carrying the sleeping Owen on his back.

“Gaaaahhh! That’s my brother!”

“Keep it down, you’ll wake him.”

Deia smacked shouting Darius on the shoulder to admonish him.

Then, she turned to me and asked.

“We’re going to request an audience with His Majesty now, right?”

“Yes, I will go alone, so there is no need for you to follow. You must be tired from the journey, get some rest.”

It would be rude for everyone to meet the King so late at night. Deia agreed and gave instructions to the others.

“Thankfully, the royal family has provided us with rooms. Everyone can quietly go in and get some rest.”

“Aren’t I his maid? Shouldn’t I at least clean Master Bastard’s room and unpack?”

“Stop being ridiculous. There are plenty of maids who are much more competent than you here, they have already taken care of everything.”

“Hey! Are there any snacks here? I’m a bit hungry.”

“Don’t ask me. I’m not familiar with this place either.”

“Ahem, if Sir Tyren or Dame Grace are here, I should ask them for a spar after not meeting for a while.”

“Alright, just pack your things and move. Those maids also need to rest soon, you know?”

Deia hurriedly responded to each noisy member of the group, urging them.

Since the group tended to do as they pleased, Deia entered the Verdi Household’s carriage with irritated steps.

Bang!

“You idiots! Listen up! Do you want me to get you a spot in the royal cemetery?!”

Using a shotgun that shot magic bullets, she fired into the sky to intimidate them.

Even though such an act was extremely rude in the royal palace, she knew that they wouldn’t have listened to her otherwise.

I should speak well regarding this matter when I meet the king.

Since I was going to meet His Majesty shortly, she probably thought I would handle this situation.

After all, although she appeared emotional on the surface, her mind was as cold as the harsh winter in Norseweden.

Erica and I headed to His Majesty’s office. Considering it was still winter break, Eleanor would likely be at the palace, I started wondering if she had already fallen asleep.

After a knock and a brief greeting, I entered His Majesty’s office alone.

Erica, who escorted me up to the door, decided to wait outside.

Because this was a matter that needed to be discussed between His Majesty and me.

She was simply taking on the role of a reliable sentry.

“You’re late. I was so sleepy that I had two cups of coffee. Thanks to that, I’m wide awake now.”

King Orpheus was at his desk, propping his chin on his hand. He was indifferently reading various documents.

Given the recent commotion, he had to be busy as well.

“I was delayed a bit.”

“I already heard the report. The citizens you previously helped expressed their gratitude, right?”

“Yes. I am glad they are doing well.”

“Hmm, that attitude of prioritizing the citizens over me…”

Orpheus glanced at me slightly. Unlike before, his golden eyes had now contained much wisdom.

“I like it.”

Orpheus smiled before suddenly standing up to stretch.

“Ugh! Because of that jerk, Mul, I’ve been going to bed late recently. My skin has gotten all rough.”

“Despite that, you are still holding the Great Debate.”

“…”

“Moreover, you do not seem to be taking any action against Mul and the bishops supporting him, which might seem foolish.”

Though it could be considered rude language, I needed to clearly state what I felt.

“Are you in a hurry? You are speaking quite bluntly to gauge my innermost thoughts.”

“It is because I need to prepare for tomorrow.”

The Great Debate would be held on the next day.

I hadn’t met the Saintess yet, and Stella, who I briefly saw on the city’s wall earlier, had disappeared somewhere.

She was probably preparing something for me.

Understanding my words, Orpheus bitterly swept his palm across his desk.

“Yes, I haven’t taken any action. It is to the extent that anyone who is seeing what I’m doing would feel frustrated.”

“…”

“Please understand my position as well. That man, Mul, is performing acts that can only be described as someone truly chosen by God.”

Mul was making extreme moves in a short time, even more than what the Saintess was doing.

It was to the point that he resurrected the dead, an act that could shatter the fundamental structure of the continent.

He must have seemed like a true savior to those who feared death.

“The moment we persecute him and his followers, we turn them into victims.”

“…”

“Additionally, the fact that nothing has been confirmed is also significant. I heard from Saintess Lucia that she had a brief conversation with Mul. However, even then, she couldn’t grasp the depth and truth of his powers.”

Sighing, Orpheus rubbed his eyes to relieve his fatigue.

“Deus, I intend to thoroughly investigate and understand everything before making a judgment.”

“Did you learn from the past?”

Orpheus, who had been slowly lowering his hand, suddenly widened his eyes. He then let out forced laughter once he met my eyes.

“Is it that obvious? I thought at least you might notice. The rest of my vassals are in an uproar; they chirp every day like larks, saying we can’t leave those rogues who are disrespecting the royal family and insulting our authority unchecked.”

It was as if…

“Yes, it’s just like 200 years ago when we were greatly deceived by a Dark Mage and created the monster called Heralhazard.”

“…”

“We, who knew nothing about the Dark Mage, only continued to supply him with corpses and souls for battle.”

His voice, filled with regret, echoed low in the office.

“Even while stained with hatred, we didn’t realize that Heralhazard was a wretched charade created by the Royal Family. That’s why the Griffin Kingdom has grown in such a twisted manner.”

Orpheus Luden Griffin had no right to be king.

What ran through his veins was blood tainted by deceit and greed.

However, he had a responsibility—a responsibility to set everything right and protect the kingdom.

“He needs to be thoroughly investigated. What exactly is that mysterious power? If we turn him into our enemy, how do we oppose him? And if we control him, in what way should we control him?”

“So, you are waiting for the right time.”

“That is right. I thought that you and the Saintess would be able to find answers at the Great Debate; both of you would surely be able to lift the veil from this enigmatic prophet. Until then, I have no intentions of provoking those bastards.”

King Orpheus wore a wide smile and continued speaking.

“Even though they have been utterly disregarding royal authority.”

“…”

“It doesn’t matter. In the first place, thanks to you, royal authority has already soared high to the sky. A few blemishes are not an issue. This entire debacle just puts me in a foul mood.”

Then, Orpheus added.

“No matter how much the royal authority is insulted, ultimately, if it’s you, you will be able to resolve it, right?”

“You are placing such a heavy burden on me, Your Majesty.”

Although it was such a ridiculous statement, he was not wrong. And it was roughly what I had anticipated, so I slightly lifted the corner of my lips.

The atmosphere had softened a bit.

Orpheus slowly walked over and stood in front of me.

“Deus, this land has seen much bloodshed. It was not just because of the massacre Heralhazard committed 200 years ago, but also because my ancestor Griffin Evil Ghost had drained the life out of the people.”

“Indeed.”

This was an undeniable truth.

However, Orpheus had no intent to turn a blind eye to it.

He patted my shoulder as he walked past me, heading towards the window.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he gazed silently out towards the horizon beyond the city walls.

It was in the direction of the tent village where Mul’s fanatics resided.

“Honestly, I kind of understand them.”

“…”

“An odd prophet suddenly pops up and shows them unbelievable miracles. Reviving people from the dead? Sending souls to the embrace of God? Sigh, even I might have been tempted.”

“…”

“But they’re foolish. They don’t realize that the ground they’re standing on is protected not by God, but by the kingdom’s soldiers and its city walls. They’re blinded by religion and faith.”

That was why, instead of the royal family, they prioritized the gods they believed in and its prophet, Mul.

“They’re so pathetic that watching them could make one dizzy; they are neither wise nor foresighted, only thinking that the present will last forever.”

Though King Orpheus let out a bitter laugh, his gaze remained fixed on the scenery outside the window.

“However, they are still my people.”

Once again, Orpheus did not shy away from his responsibility as king.

“It is not like we do not know the easy solution. With a single gesture from me, those pathetic fools who are pointing their fingers at the royal family will be immediately dealt with.”

“…”

“However, aren’t they still my beloved people?”

He also did not forget the past.

“On this land where the blood of my people once flooded so terribly…”

Despite his troubled heart, his words, tinged with a plea, reached out to me.

“Must I once again spill their blood?”

It was the current King’s, Orpheus Luden Griffin’s, heartfelt words.

“I do not want to.”

Though his expression wasn’t contorted, nor did he shed tears, his voice carried a mix of love and hate.

“Thanks to you, royal authority has become solid. Therefore, I am grateful that I can make such a choice like this.”

Orpheus’ determination had led him to acknowledge that the royal authority had been solidified enough to withstand such losses.

It was a resolution firm enough to remind me of the saying that the truly strong could forgive.

“As Your Majesty wishes.”

I slowly placed my hand on my chest and slightly folded my upper body, bowing towards him.

“I will follow your command.”